Brightstar's Leadership Ceremony
by leopardfire2012
Summary: As the new leader of LostClan, Brightwish and his clanmates are on a journey to their new home until they stop at the moonstone. There, he will gain his nine lives that are needed to be a true clan leader.


A brown tom lead his clanmates and stopped in front of the cave.  
"Everything okay?" A gray and white tom asked.  
The brown tom nodded, and he flicked his tail, hoping they wouldn't notice.  
"I'm fine, Foxbranch. You should worry about the others."  
Foxbranch flicked his ear. "They're all fine, Brightwish. It's _you_ that I'm worried about. As for the others, they should be able to rest soon. Otherwise we might not get past highstones."  
Brightwish nodded, and yowled to get the attention of his clanmates.  
"Cats of LostClan, I _must_ get my nine lives to properly lead our clan. We shall all rest here for tonight and for the next few sunrises. Take this time to recover."  
Yowls of approval came from the crowd. Brightwish could see that the other cats already seemed more at ease, knowing that they wouldn't be continuing the journey-at least for a while.  
"Praise StarClan!" A young warrior named Rainpuddle meowed, "I can't wait to eat something that isn't crow-food or from leftovers that those Twolegs eat for once."  
"I want to try _fresh_ fresh-kill!" Sunkit cried, "But all we've been doing is walking to _nowhere_!"  
Brightwish sighed. _Even the_ kits _want to get to our new home as much as_ I _do._  
"Are you ready, Brightwish?" Foxbranch asked, his pale blue eyes showing his concern for him.  
"I thought I was, but now I'm not sure if I will ever be a great leader."  
"StarClan will guide your pawsteps, Brightwish. They will guide us always."  
Brightwish nodded in agreement. "I hope so."  
"The moon is beginning to rise, we better start heading inside." Foxbranch said.  
Brightwish nodded once more. "Rainpuddle, guard our clan well."  
Rainpuddle nodded silently, keeping a close eye out for other cats who wish to harm them.  
Brightwish and Foxbranch walked into the cave silently, following the path down to the moonstone. The stone shined in the moonlight and Brightstar gasped in shock.  
"It's so beautiful and peaceful here...If only things could _always_ be this way." He said softly.  
Foxbranch nodded in silence, and the two of them both touched the stone with their nose, slowly falling asleep.  
"StarClan will light our path, always." Foxbranch whispered as sleep overcame both of them.

* * *

"Who is this cat, Tom?" A voice asked, "I've never seen him _here_ before."  
"Neither have I." A second voice added, "Do you think he's come to join us in our skies?  
Slowly Brightwish opened his eyes, but was unable to move his body. He spotted a tortoiseshell she-cat wearing a collar, and a tom sitting next to her. The she-cat sniffed him and then spoke.  
"He's one those _wild_ cats." The she-cat meowed softly, "But _why_ is he here?"  
Brightwish felt his jaw loosen, and he could speak again.  
"I'm not quite sure myself." Brightwish said, " _Where_ am I, and who exactly are _you_?"  
"I am Bumble. I died a very long time ago, when some cats from the mountains came to the forest. Someone injured me and I died from my severe wounds."  
"I'm so sorry that you died." Brightwish said softly.  
"Don't worry. I'm well fed here. The Twolegs are kind here, and give us plenty of food to eat. We eat in a bowl that never seems to run out of food. Tom here was killed by a fierce tom. The one who killed him isn't in _these_ skies, that's for sure."  
"I've learned to be nicer to other cats since I came here." Tom said, flicking his tail. "But I still miss my former mate and my kits. I never am able to see them except in my dreams, and it breaks my heart knowing I might never meet them in their skies at all. Oh Turtle Tail, I should never have been so mean to you!"  
A she-cat, which Tom recognized as Turtle Tail then began to run towards him, and the two of them nuzzled each other.  
"I've been looking for you. To tell you that I've learned how to be a better cat."  
Turtle Tail nodded. "I'm glad you've learned how to be nice to others. Perhaps one day, I'll let you visit my kits."  
"What about this tom here?" Tom asked, pointing to Brightwish.  
"I came for _him_ , too. He lost his way to the skies I now walk in. We will meet again soon, Tom."  
"I hope so." Tom said, swishing his tail on the ground slowly.  
"Come with me, young one." Turtle Tail said, touching Brightwish's nose.  
At that moment, Brightwish's vision faded away for a few heartbeats. When he opened his eyes, he saw his old forest home, before it had been destroyed by Twolegs.  
"Thank you for leading me here." Brightwish said.  
"Of course. Are you ready to get your nine lives?"  
Brightwish's eyes widened. "You mean, you're a _StarClan_ cat?"  
Turtle Tail nodded. "Yes, I am."  
"But you don't have a name like _I_ do!" He cried.  
"Names were different back then, Brightwish, just like many other things."  
She yowled and within a few heartbeats, cats from StarClan came down from the stars.  
"No need to waste any more time. It is time to get your nine lives."  
Yowls of approval came from the StarClan cats. Brightwish stood up, and Turtle Tail then touched noses with him.  
"With this life, I give you hope, patience, and the tireless energy needed to bring your clan to their new home. Do not forget the cats who came before you and walked the same path you are now, leading the way to a new home."  
Brighwish then saw a vision of the past where he saw Turtle Tail and many other cats near her. They were walking endlessly and headed towards a forest.  
 _Could this be the forest the clans live in_ now _?_ Brightwish wondered.  
Another she-cat came forward, her eyes shining brightly. She touched noses with Brightwish before she spoke.  
"I am Star Flower. With this life, I give you faith and trust. Open your heart to others and let StarClan guide you towards the future of your clan."  
Next came a tom which Brightwish faintly remembered from the tales he was told in the nursery.  
"Skystar...it's an honor to meet you."  
"It is me who should be honored. At last, kin of SkyClan will be allowed to share tongues with us once more."  
Skystar touched noses with him.  
"I give you a life for honoring the old traditions of SkyClan. Even though SkyClan no longer lives in the forest among the other four clans, we will always be there to guide you _and_ your clan."  
Brightwish felt a bit calmer and happier upon seeing Petalfall.  
"It's been a long time..." Brightwish said softly.  
Petalfall nodded, touching noses with Brightwish. "With this life I give you protection. Use it well to protect your clan in times of darkness."  
Brightwish looked around, and spotted his mother's brown fur and light green eyes. He rubbed his pelt against hers, and touched noses with each other.  
"Brightwish...I've never thought that this would be the path you chose to walk. But I know you are doing it for the good of your clanmates."  
Brightwish nodded. "It's the only reason I _started_ the clan. It was for them to have a better future, perhaps even better than the one our ancestors had."  
His mother nodded and then spoke to him once more. "I give the life of a mother's love and compassion. Use it well to mentor those who may be different from yourself."  
Suddenly Brightwish saw another vision. It was himself as the leader of LostClan, and Hawkkit, who was a brown and black tabby tom-kit. But here in his vision he was much older, doing his best to protect a young kit in need.  
"Your father is here too, Brightwish. Both of us love you so much..."  
His mother then nuzzled his father, who came towards him. His pale blue eyes shined brightly alongside his long-furred gray pelt with white patches.  
"I remember the first day I met you, Icestorm. You were born during a harsh leaf-bare when stones that were as cold as ice fell from the sky, and that's how you got your name. My name was in honor of Flystar. I am Featherflight."  
Featherflight then touched noses with his son.  
"I give a life for mercy and justice for those who have done you wrong."  
Brightwish spotted Starlingfeather who came towards him.  
"Starlingfeather! You're in StarClan now?"  
"Yes, I am in StarClan with the rest of our SkyClan ancestors."  
He then touched noses with Brightwish.  
"With this life, I give you bravery to face the things that you might fear the most."  
Hawksnow came forward, briefly nuzzling Starlingfeather as he passed them by.  
"We were good denmates, Starlingfeather and I." Hawksnow said softly.  
Brightwish and Hawksnow then touched noses with each other.  
"I give you the happiness and healing needed to move past times of darkness."  
The final cat came towards Brightwish. It was a brown tom, with feathers attached to leaves around their neck. They flicked their tail, and seemed troubled.  
"My name is Featherstripe. I have traveled a long way to see you. Though I am not a clan cat like you, I am here to give you a life."  
"Are you in StarClan?" Brightstar asked.  
Featherstripe shook his head. "No, I am very much alive, in a place far away from your own."  
Featherstripe touched noses with Brightstar. "With this life, I give you wisdom and acceptance. Remember that there are some things that cannot be changed, no matter what you do to change it."  
Featherstripe then began to whisper into Brightwish's ears."I live in a place with lots of sand, and it is always nice and warm. My home is close to a group of tunnels. That is where your home will be."  
Skystar then began to speak, and all the StarClan cats looked at him.  
"I hail you by your new name, Bright _star_. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of LostClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity."  
"Brightstar! Brightstar! Brightstar! Brightstar!"  
As his vision faded away, he spotted Featherstripe walking towards sand and sunshine. He heard other cats as well, who were happy about him returning.  
"I shall take you back home, Brightstar."  
He quickly knew who that voice belonged to.  
 _It's Foxbranch!_  
He sighed in relief.  
 _The ceremony is over. In a few sunrises, we shall travel to the place that I saw only in my dreams. And StarClan will be with us every pawstep of the way._

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Time to reveal some interesting extras!

Featherstripe is still alive at this time, and he's lived for a _very_ long time. He has a special ability to travel to other worlds, but he is _not_ related to Rock in any way. He will be important later on in the Rebirth of the Clans Arc.

Brightstar got lost during his leadership ceremony at first because SkyClan's ancestors had already moved to the gorge.

That's all for now. See you next time!


End file.
